The 2016 Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Malconsorts Christiane, picked on the same day as the regular Malconsorts, has a touch more new oak than the regular cuvée and two-thirds whole cluster fruit. It has a very well defined bouquet with black cherry, blueberry, raspberry and iris scents, less of the woodland element perhaps. The palate is well balanced with fine tannin, crisp and taut with beautiful black, mineral-rich fruit toward the precise finish. Again, it will require several years in bottle to really show what it can do.

As is usually the case this is quite aromatically similar to the regular cuvée except that it's always a bit spicier though in 2016, it's also a bit more overtly floral. The similarly scaled flavors possess a bit more minerality as well with excellent muscle and power on the driving and wonderfully long finish that is slightly more structured too. This should be brilliant in time.

First year they pushed back a little later. Did that with 2017s and will be a pattern in the future. 67% whole bunch, 65% new oak. Picked same day as regular Malconsorts. Parcel that touches La Tache. Very heady and concentrated and winning. Round fruit and pretty glorious and concentrated. Ambitious and polished. Very long. (JR)